My rental property is in Orlando, Florida. I have a crazy situation.
My new tenant gave me first months rent and deposit to move into my house Oct 1. She deposited the money directly into the bank, because she wanted to make sure she secured the house and she was supposedly 'out of town.' I gave her my full name and address so she could do this. In the mean time, I still didn't have a signed lease. I thought this was strange that she would deposit that money to me without it, but I figured she was the one taking the risk.
I agreed to meet her out at the house the following Saturday to give her the keys and have her sign the lease. When she didn't show up, I phoned her and she said something came up and could I leave the keys, because she didn't know when she was able to get to the house and she really had to get out of her current situation ASAP. I gave them to a trusted neighbor and told her to pick them up from him and she agreed to meet me Monday to sign the lease..I know, I know..stupid. She is in her early 30's, very clean cut and well spoken. I thought I could trust her. Again..duh on my part.
That Monday, I was supposed to meet her, she phoned me again and said she had to wait until Friday to get paid, so she could get the lights turned on, because the utility company required an additional deposit. She said she was staying at a friends until then and only had a few things at the house. So, I agreed to wait until then to meet her to sign the lease.
Well, when I got home Monday, I was greeted by detectives asking questions about my new tenant. After they asked me a lot of questions, they told me they were following her for some time and now have the evidence against her to put her away. Apparently, my new tenant wanted to use my house as a drug, drop house. She had a large crate dropped off at my house that the cops picked up!
The detectives asked me to phone her to get her to meet me at the house right away. I did this and just left a message. Surprise, she never phoned me back Monday night. The cops told me they were watching the house and I had nothing to worry about.
Wednesday morning I get a phone call from the detective telling me that my house was broken into. Someone kicked in the front door and the utility room door. (The cops only watched the house for only one night. Gee, who would have thought someone would come looking for a large crate full of drugs and they would wait for the obvious police presence to leave.)
The detective asked me again to phone her to try to get her to meet me. I left her a message stating the house was broken into and I have secured it. i didn't think I would hear from her again, but her greed was overwhelming and later Wednesday night, she phoned me. She told me that she was scared now and didn't want the house, because it was broken into. She stated she lost her job and was going to be out of town for an indefinite amount of time. (Yeah, running from the cops) She asked if I could meet her sister at the house and give her the money she gave me back. I told her I wouldn't and would send her a check if she gave me an address. I told her not to worry about the keys, because the locks were broken and I had to change them anyway. She never mentioned about getting her couches or mattress out of the house. She texted me half an address..shocking.
So, now I have to replace the door jambs and locks for three doors. (I'm going to wait to see if there are anymore break in's before I waste the time and money doing this. I secured the front door with 2x4's screwed into the wall.) The detective says I can keep her deposit and rent money she gave me and items she left in the house. They are also telling me to keep a journal of events.
Yesterday, I received nine phone calls in a row from a private number, over about an hour span. I didn't answer the phone and no voice mail. I'm pretty sure it was her, looking for her money.
What are my rights legally? I have no signed lease and a pair of couches, a mattress and her money. Can the cops supeona me, if and when they catch her?
I want to wash my hands of the situation. I don't feel safe to rent the house out. She did cost me a lot of hassles, not to mention damage. I could have rented it out to someone by now and I'm not sure how long I should wait to even fix and show it again. I know the cops aren't going go protect me any, even though she has my full name and address. I'm not going to call her, or answer any phone calls from strange numbers. I'm scared to go to the house, in case some drug dealer is watching to see who may have their drugs the cops took. I'm an honest, hard working member of society just trying to rent out a house. Now, I'm paranoid to even answer my phone.
My new tenant gave me first months rent and deposit to move into my house Oct 1. She deposited the money directly into the bank, because she wanted to make sure she secured the house and she was supposedly 'out of town.' I gave her my full name and address so she could do this. In the mean time, I still didn't have a signed lease. I thought this was strange that she would deposit that money to me without it, but I figured she was the one taking the risk.
I agreed to meet her out at the house the following Saturday to give her the keys and have her sign the lease. When she didn't show up, I phoned her and she said something came up and could I leave the keys, because she didn't know when she was able to get to the house and she really had to get out of her current situation ASAP. I gave them to a trusted neighbor and told her to pick them up from him and she agreed to meet me Monday to sign the lease..I know, I know..stupid. She is in her early 30's, very clean cut and well spoken. I thought I could trust her. Again..duh on my part.
That Monday, I was supposed to meet her, she phoned me again and said she had to wait until Friday to get paid, so she could get the lights turned on, because the utility company required an additional deposit. She said she was staying at a friends until then and only had a few things at the house. So, I agreed to wait until then to meet her to sign the lease.
Well, when I got home Monday, I was greeted by detectives asking questions about my new tenant. After they asked me a lot of questions, they told me they were following her for some time and now have the evidence against her to put her away. Apparently, my new tenant wanted to use my house as a drug, drop house. She had a large crate dropped off at my house that the cops picked up!
The detectives asked me to phone her to get her to meet me at the house right away. I did this and just left a message. Surprise, she never phoned me back Monday night. The cops told me they were watching the house and I had nothing to worry about.
Wednesday morning I get a phone call from the detective telling me that my house was broken into. Someone kicked in the front door and the utility room door. (The cops only watched the house for only one night. Gee, who would have thought someone would come looking for a large crate full of drugs and they would wait for the obvious police presence to leave.)
The detective asked me again to phone her to try to get her to meet me. I left her a message stating the house was broken into and I have secured it. i didn't think I would hear from her again, but her greed was overwhelming and later Wednesday night, she phoned me. She told me that she was scared now and didn't want the house, because it was broken into. She stated she lost her job and was going to be out of town for an indefinite amount of time. (Yeah, running from the cops) She asked if I could meet her sister at the house and give her the money she gave me back. I told her I wouldn't and would send her a check if she gave me an address. I told her not to worry about the keys, because the locks were broken and I had to change them anyway. She never mentioned about getting her couches or mattress out of the house. She texted me half an address..shocking.
So, now I have to replace the door jambs and locks for three doors. (I'm going to wait to see if there are anymore break in's before I waste the time and money doing this. I secured the front door with 2x4's screwed into the wall.) The detective says I can keep her deposit and rent money she gave me and items she left in the house. They are also telling me to keep a journal of events.
Yesterday, I received nine phone calls in a row from a private number, over about an hour span. I didn't answer the phone and no voice mail. I'm pretty sure it was her, looking for her money.
What are my rights legally? I have no signed lease and a pair of couches, a mattress and her money. Can the cops supeona me, if and when they catch her?
I want to wash my hands of the situation. I don't feel safe to rent the house out. She did cost me a lot of hassles, not to mention damage. I could have rented it out to someone by now and I'm not sure how long I should wait to even fix and show it again. I know the cops aren't going go protect me any, even though she has my full name and address. I'm not going to call her, or answer any phone calls from strange numbers. I'm scared to go to the house, in case some drug dealer is watching to see who may have their drugs the cops took. I'm an honest, hard working member of society just trying to rent out a house. Now, I'm paranoid to even answer my phone.
